No More Man-Purse!!
I’m free!! I’m free! No more man-purse!
Yesterday, I had an appointment at the transplant clinic and was shocked to have my wound vac removed! They decided the open wound had healed enough to just finish healing with the aid of wet/dry dressings. My home health nurse had previously indicated the wound was healing great, but she had not said anything that indicated I would not need it much longer. I was really pleasantly surprised.
My shoulder and back are relieved. The vacuum pump was small, but constantly carrying it over my shoulder was beginning to weigh on me. My back has been strained from it.
Of course, I must now change the dressings, but that is a small nuisance compared to carrying the wound vac. I have never liked medical stuff, so I hadn’t even really looked too closely at the wound until I had to change it last night. I’ve been hearing for weeks about how it has reduced from 22cm long and 2cm wide down to 6cm long and less than 1cm wide. Well, looking at it myself now, it sure looks big enough! I’m glad I didn’t see it before!
Best of all, I was able to sleep last night without a tube running from my body!! I’ve had one or another for almost two years now! First, I had a catheter inserted in my stomach for peritoneal dialysis in October 2008. I then did the dialysis every night, with a connection of a long tube to my catheter. But as soon as I had it removed with the transplant, I had the infection that caused me to have to use the wound vac. It was connected by a tube that was sealed over the wound. It wasn’t into my body, but it had the same impact of having a tube from my body at night to the pump.
I was able to actually roll over last night! Of course, I was just able to…. But now my body has finally adjusted to the tubes, and I don’t know when I will get back to really feeling like there is no tube.
Same goes for being without the pump. I love not having the man-purse, but I got so accustomed to it, I still reach for it every time I move now! But that won’t be for long!
Labels: kidney transplant
posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 3:26 AM
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